It looks like TomTom’s managed to hit all the right marks with its new GO 720 GPS unit, at least according to the first few reviews that have turned up, which all seem to have found plenty to like about the device. Among the first to get their hands on the device was GPS Review, which found the unit to be “more than just a simple specifications bump to an existing model.” In particular, it was especially impressed by the ease with which you can receive live traffic information, as well as the unit’s text-to-speech functions, thinner size, and longer battery life than other models. Also putting the unit through its paces was Computeractive, which dug the unit’s much-touted map sharing feature and abundance of extra features, but was slightly less impressed with the need for a cellphone connection for traffic updates. Lastly, and most thoroughly, the folks at Mobinaute seem to have examined every nook and cranny of the device, providing plenty of pics and a ten minute video showing the device in action. Of course, it’s also all in French, but they too don’t seem to have found much to complain about, other than some stability problems when the device was connected to a PC.

Read – GPS Review (“hard to imagine this device not being a huge hit”)
Read – Computeractive (5 out of 5) [Via Navigadget]
Read – Mobinaute (“forecasts of what will be the accessible navigation of tomorrow today”)
from engadget

It looks like Mio has a couple of new GPS-heavy PDAs in the works, with its new P360 and P560 models apparently set to replace the company’s previous P350 and P550 units. While complete specs are still a little light, the biggest news here appears to be the addition of WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0, both of which were sorely lacking on the previous models. Otherwise, the devices have a slightly more streamlined design than before, along with an SD/MMC slot for expansion, a built-in microphone, and an embedded GPS antenna, with Windows Mobile 6 serving as the operating system. No word on pricing or availability, though the previous gen models started at €269 (or $366 at the current exchange rate).

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It’s not like the Bluetooth GPS receiver market really needed another combatant, but for those who prefer carrying as much as of their life as possible on a key ring, this one’s for you. Coming in at a minuscule 1.54- x 1.3- x 0.79-inches in size, this SiRF Star III-equipped device can connect simultaneously to up to 20 satellite channels, operate for ten hours on a single charge, sports a tracking sensitivity of 159 dBm, supports an external antenna, and purportedly plays nice with your BT-enabled device from up to ten meters away thanks to Bluetooth 2.0. Charging is handled by the included cigarette adapter or USB charger, and while we wouldn’t be keen on losing a $99.99 receiver right along with our keys, this should prove quite convenient if you’re the organized type.

[Via NaviGadget]
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Joining an already crowded field of products designed to prey on pet owners’ love for their animals, a new GPS-equipped dog collar from Sweden’s Petlink Development and M-Tech promises to give you Rover’s exact coordinates by simpling texting the service over Telia’s network. The self-titled Petlink device works much like the GPS PRO we saw a few years back, allowing Swedes and eventually Danes to pay around twelve bucks a month for the privilege of nailing down a lost pet’s location on the off chance that they successfully escape from captivity their happy homes. Unfortunately Petlink — like most other models in this category — is a little too bulky for use on animals of the feline persuasion, so if you’re a cat owner, this may be just the impetus you need to trade up to a nice Lab or pit bull.

[Via Techdirt]
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Kenwood’s aiming its new MNA-350 squarely at the Japanese market for tiny cars, or “kei-cars,” but we know plenty of people with double-DIN slots in their SUVs here in the States who would kill for this CD player / GPS nav combo. The 50W unit features a 3.5-inch touchscreen that supports address and phone number lookups, as well as MP3, AAC, and WMA support and optional iPod integration. Those of you rocking to the beat of different DAP can jack in through the front-mounted 1/8-inch aux input, or just play your files through the integrated SD reader. No word on price, but the four of you flying out to snag one of these Japan-only units for your Escalades probably don’t care about that, do you?

[Via Akihabara News]
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Oh hey, what’s this? Thin GPS… can it really be? Fine Digital just announced their Finedrive M760 navigator with real-time TPEG traffic alerts for S.Korea. Of course, with a 7-inch, 480 x 234, LED-backlit LCD display, they just couldn’t resist slapping in some DMB television to up the distraction factor. Hell, it even features a little NIP (Navigation In Picture) so you’ll never have to look at the road again. The 25-mm (1-inch) slab also packs an SD card and 800mA battery to take your MPEG-4, DivX, WMV video and MP3, WMA, and WAV audio with you once you arrive. If you arrive, that is. It’ll cost you â‚©440,000 (about $483) for the pleasure starting next month.

[Via AVING]
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It’s not just raining N and E-series devices today in Espoo Barcelona. Nokia also unveiled their Nokia 6110 navigator, their second device of the day — after the E90 — to flaunt both GPS and HSDPA data. The S60-based 6110 combines GPS and AGPS (assisted GPS) with quad-band GSM/EDGE and UMTS 2100 for up to 3.6Mbps of hot HSDPA data. This beast brings a 2.2-inch QVGA display throwin’ 16 million colors, a 2 megapixel camera with sliding lens cover and flash, and MicroSD expansion to augment the onboard 40MB. The handset touts a 3.5-hour (GSM) and 2.5-hours (3G) talk-time or up to 11 days (GSM and 3G) of standby. The 6110 is expected to ship in Q2 for an estimated pre-tax, pre-carrier-subsidy price of €450/$583. A few more pics after the break.

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